Mac and Cheese Mania!

posted on February 24, 2014 by Rachel Gurk

I am so excited to tell you all about Mac and Cheese Mania! My bud Brandy of Nutmeg Nanny and I have been planning this events for months partly to celebrate our blog anniversaries (my blog turned three this month!) but mostly to celebrate our love of all things cheese and mac.

Because it’s carbs.

And cheese.

Clearly this is something to be celebrated.

Grab a cup of coffee because there’s a lot of info (and a lot of mac & cheese) in this post! Sorry about that but it is all super important!

So here’s the deal about Mac and Cheese Mania. Each day this week, Brandy and I will be posting new Macaroni and Cheese recipes. I kicked today off with a copycat Panera Macaroni and Cheese recipe. It’s creamy, delicious, and can be made in ONE PAN! Win-win-win.
But we don’t just want to bombard you with amazing cheesy creations, we want you to get involved! We’ve teamed up with some great sponsors to make this event a success. Using the link-up tool at the end of this post, you’ll link up your favorite mac and cheese recipe (you don’t have to be a blogger to enter — details near the bottom of this post). Just by linking up your recipe, you’re entered to win one of the prizes! You can read all about the fabulous prizes in this post…just keep on keeping on…the details are all here! You have two weeks to link up recipes so you can even create a recipe, post it on your blog, and then link it up! You may enter up to four recipes. And you can get creative! Mac and cheese burgers, mac and cheese pizzas, mac and cheese muffins, dessert mac & cheese, whatever your little heart desires!

As an added bonus, if you are a blogger, we’ll be pinning many of these recipes to our Mac & Cheese Mania Pinterest board!

Now, take a look at our great prizes and sponsors to see what’s in this for you –over $1,800 in prizes! Then keep on scrolling for details on how to enter!

Door to Door Organics

May I start by saying that I’m completely obsessed with Door to Door Organics? I’m thrilled to have them sponsoring Mac and Cheese Mania. I get their weekly deliveries (paid for with my own $$$!) and I just LOVE it. Not only does it give me the mid-week burst of produce to get me through the week and avoid another grocery store trip, but the quality of the produce is so amazing. Some of the best looking fruits and vegetables I have ever seen. Keep an eye out for a mac and cheese recipe using rainbow chard that I got in my Door to Door Organics delivery. Follow Door to Door Organics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram! You can also find great recipes on their site. If you’re new to Door to Door Organics, sign up and make sure to use coupon code RACHELCOOKS for $10 off your first box! You won’t regret it. Seriously, it’s the best produce. It’s like Christmas every time a box arrives. By entering your mac & cheese recipe, you could win one of three $100 gift cards to use for a Door to Door Organics delivery! (Must be in delivery area.) Door to Door Organics is offering up a $100 gift cards to three lucky winners!

Rachael Ray

Anolon

By linking up your macaroni and cheese recipe you’ll be entered to win this Anolon Advanced Bronze 4.5 Qt. Tapered Stockpot – a gorgeous and versatile pan. Anolon pans are such high quality. This stockpot is valued at $50.

Spiceologist

Our friends from Spiceologist are contributing an absolutely gorgeous Spiceologist Block (starter) with spices — valued at 139.95! This work of art will keep your spices right where you need them — next to the action!

Marx Foods

If you’re looking for a unique food item, Marx Foods should be the first place you look. From fancy pastas to truffles to meats and seafood, Marx Foods has it. By linking up your recipe, you are entered to win a Risotto Kit valued at $54!

Zak

My friends over at Zak have such fun dishes to serve up all your macaroni and cheese in, including their new microwave-safe line. (Perfect for the DIY Easy Mac I have coming later this week!) By linking up your recipe, you’re entered to win 4 plates, 4 bowls and a pretty trivet! Valued around $45.

Cabot

Cabot has offered up an awesome prize! When you link up you will be entered to win a YEAR of cheese! That means that once each quarter (for a year) you will get a big box (13 pounds to be exact) of Cabot cheese — the variety of your choice. Bring on the cheese! Valued at $312.

Swissmar

Perfect for housing that baked macaroni and cheese! Up for grabs we have a set of Tendance Swissmar bakeware which includes a small, medium and a large baking dish. Valued around $150.

Vermont Creamery

This gift basket from Vermont Creamery is packed full of cultured butter, creme fraiche and goat cheese. If you’re a fan of cheese, you’re going to love this prize! Valued around $50.

Barilla

You can’t have macaroni and cheese without PASTA! If you like Barilla pasta you’re going to love this gift basket. Up for grabs are 2 prizes– each one includes a box of original Barilla pasta, Barilla Veggie, Barilla Plus, a Barilla apron and a colander. Each prize pack is valued at $25.

What you need to do to participate in Mac and Cheese Mania:

Required:

Find a macaroni and cheese recipe on your blog or create a newly developed recipe — you have two weeks! (If it is an older post, make sure to follow step #2 and you MUST still link back.) If you don’t have a blog — read step #4!

If you are a blogger you MUST ADD: “Come join Mac and Cheese Mania at Rachel Cooks and Nutmeg Nanny sponsored by Door to Door Organics and OXO — Win prizes!” in your new or old blog post. (We will be verifying and you must include this in your posts to be eligible to win a prize.)

Add your link to the Mac & Cheese Mania inlinkz link-up widget on either my site or Nutmeg Nanny (only do it on one site). Then, use the giveaway widget to confirm you entered and also earn extra entries. You must enter one to be eligible to win but you may enter up to 4 macaroni and cheese recipes.

If you don’t have a blog — you are still eligible to win these awesome prizes! Leave your recipe or link to your favorite mac and cheese recipe in the comment section of my site or Brandy’s during the link-up (ends March 9th, 2014) and tell us why you love it. Then, use the giveaway widget to complete your entry.

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not use the giveaway widget to complete your entry — you will not be eligible to win prizes.

Be patient — it might all take a minute to load. Good luck! Can’t wait to see your recipe!

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If you have any questions — you know how to contact me. Link-up will be open through March 9th, 2014 at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be announced that week. All winners will be selected randomly and will be notified via email. They will have 48 hours to respond. All giveaways open to US residents over the age of 18. Door to Door Organics gift cards only available to those in the delivery area.

Disclaimer: Thank you to OXO and Door to Door Organics for providing compensation and prizes for Mac and Cheese Mania. Thank you to our other sponsors for providing prizes. All opinions as always are my very own. Thanks for participating!

106 Responses to “Mac and Cheese Mania!”

Yaaay it’s finally here I’m going to be in heaven this week, macaroni cheese literally my favourite thing ever Thanks so much for including me in this – going to go and check out all the other bloggers’ awesome recipes now!

This is so exciting! I’ve been waiting for this post! Thanks for including me! I can’t wait to go check out all the yummy recipes!

TracyEllen Carson Webb — February 24, 2014 at 7:07 am

This is my son’s absolutely favorite dinner. Use one package of cheese tortellini from the fresh pasta isle, 1 package (2 cup size) of Italian blend shredded cheese and half a package of pepperoni cut into quarters. Boil the tortellini according to package directions, drain saving 1/2 cup of the water. Put back into pan over low heat. Add the pepperoni and stir until hot. Add the cheese and enough of the pasta water to make it creamy. Season with salt and pepper. I know its simple, but this is what he wants after a hard day.

Haha well that explains my blog reader being a little extra CHEESY this morning! Love it! Such a great idea =) I think I know what I’m having for lunch today… it rhymes with smackaroni and please. Just sayin’

I love this Beer Mac & Cheese, but I love to add shaved Brussel sprouts. Beer and Brussels go so well together, and really take mac and cheese to a new level. It is creamy with a hint of beer and the green Brussels really pop out. I love this recipe!

I love mac n cheese! I usually take pasta (any variety, we like rotini) and boil it in the milk (saves a step later), then when the pasta is cooked, add a ton of cheese (again, any variety, we like sharp cheddar or smoked cheddar) and some mustard for a little kick. If we have a hectic evening planned, I will make this the night before, put it in a casserole dish in the fridge, and then bake it in the oven as soon as we get home for about 40 min to get everything melty and happy. YUM.

Thanks so much for hosting this event Rachel, and for including me. It was so much fun. I’m new to homemade mac n cheese so this was great for me.

denise — February 26, 2014 at 10:53 am

Denise’s Macaroni and Cheese–I modified this recipe **a lot** from one I found in the newspaper years ago. I’m using the original directions–with some additions/alterations–but I’m telling you what I do, too.

Heat oven to 350. Melt 1/4 C butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, salt, paprika, mustard, and pepper (and optional nutmeg), stir well with a whisk. Cook at least one minute (takes the flour taste out and makes a nice roux for the bechamel). Stir in milk slowly. Reduce heat to low (which I never do) , stir constantly, until thickened (should coat the back of a wooden spoon)–make take up to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Then stir in pasta–I usually just do that in the 13×9″ pan. Bake, covered, 20 min.** Melt remaining butter and add crumbs. Remove cover and sprinkle crumbs. Bake uncovered, until top is golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes. **If you’re in a hurry, which I usually am, just put the crumbs on and bake it uncovered for about 25 minutes total–tastes pretty much the same.

I never have leftovers because I have two teenage boys, in addition to a husband and an 8yob. But, this is supposed to yield 6-8 servings.

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About Rachel COoks

Hi, I'm Rachel! This site features a wide variety of recipes with one common thread: easy preparations. I love creating accessible and delicious food that will please the whole family. Hope you enjoy! (more about me...)

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